The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science Is Still a Boys' Club by Eileen Pollack

I’m very interested in exposing the ways that women are discouraged from taking an interest in STEM fields, so Eileen Pollack’s The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science Is Still a Boys’ Club was an automatic add to my to-read list. While it wasn’t quite what I expected, it’s still a valuable resource for women like me who loved science and math but were discouraged from pursuing those subjects and, perhaps more importantly, for teachers and scientists who may not realize that their unconscious behaviors push women away.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

All her life, Agnieszka has known two things: that she must stay away from the Wood at all costs, and that every ten years, the Dragon emerges from his tower to select a girl to serve him for the next ten years. (He’s not the fire-breathing sort of dragon, but rather the wizard tasked with protecting their valley.) She knows all too well the horrors inflicted when the Wood claims a victim, but she’s not terribly concerned about the Dragon. After all, everyone has known all their lives that her best friend, Kasia, will become his chosen companion when they come […]

The Apollo Academy by Kimberly P. Chase

In the mood for some new adult sci-fi with a brilliant ass-kicking heroine? Of course you are! Kimberly P. Chase’s The Apollo Academy is the first book of a promising new series about Aurora Titon, an heiress who’s training to be a shuttle pilot for lunar missions. She may, in fact, be the best pilot the Academy has ever trained — assuming she survives her first semester, since someone is apparently trying to kill her.

Trade Me by Courtney Milan

I admit, even though I absolutely adore everything I’ve read by Courtney Milan, I had a teeny moment of hesitation about picking up Trade Me. I’m usually not interested in contemporary romance, and “New Adult” as a genre name irrationally bugs me. I’m so glad I decided to check out the first chapter when she posted it on her website, though, because I was instantly hooked. And of course the full book was amazing too. I should never have had a doubt.

Ignite by Sara B. Larson

Last year, when I finished reading Defy, I really hoped that it would be the start of a series because I wanted to know what happened once everyone knew Alexa’s secret. My wish came true, and Ignite is a fantastic follow-up that once again left me wanting more.

Defy by Sara B. Larson

Sara B. Larson’s Defy tells the story of Alex Hollon, the best fighter on the prince’s royal guard. There’s just one catch, however — Alex is actually Alexa; she and her twin brother Marcel lied about her identity so she could join the army after their parents’ death at the hands of an enemy sorcerer. But Alexa’s true identity may not be as well-concealed as she thinks, and she’s not the only one with secrets.